The Four Seasons
by year of the snake
Summary: I took The Seasons Challenge at Dokuga. It starts in winter then moves through one seasonal year. I based each entry on a song by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. This looks into one scene in each season then skips months, you have been warned.
1. Winter: Rag Doll

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. Say hello to the very talented Rumiko Takahashi who owns him and the entire cast. Hello Rumiko Takahashi. Hehehe!

By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) (aka.) crescentmoon (at mediaminer) And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt and Dokuga.

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><p><strong>Winter: Rag Doll<strong>

Kagome slipped down onto a nearby decaying tree. Her breath puffed up like a cloudy soul. She picked briefly at a moth hole at the hem of her newest clothes, a hand-me-down kimono from the closet of an old friend of Sango's. The girl was going to be married in it before the village was destroyed years ago.

Just three days ago they had returned to Sango's village to visit Midoriko's grave. The village was quiet, desolate, a ghost town if the shivers on Kagome's back were to be believed. So many people had lived their entire live here, and now the smallest noise disturbed the sanctity of the crumbly huts.

Even Shippo had become muted and haunted by the easy, deep rooted calm wafting from every corner.

Kagome had had to get out of the village wall for a while. It was disturbing her senses, clouding them. The kimono reminded her of the proof of it.

Earlier that very day a demon jumped over the wall and had snuck up behind her. Kagome didn't even know what happened after it touched her. All she could recall was waking up to Miroku patting her cheeks, trying to wake her, and Shippo doing his best to pull poisoned barbs out of her skin with a giant pair of chop-sticks. Vaguely she could hear Inuyasha somewhere nearby shouting at something he could only be fighting, that's what she gathered from the sound of it at least.

Apparently the demon had jumbled a barbed cocoon around her to absorb her spiritual life-force. It fed on spiritual life-force to keep itself young.

Her clothes unfortunately would only be suitable as scraps now. So Sango found this Kimono for her. She acted as grateful as she could, it wasn't really hard to lie about it. Still as she played with that moth-hole she went back in time... back into her own past that is.

When she was little folks would drop off their old clothes that they didn't want anymore at the shrine. Then the shrine keeper, aka. her grandfather would give them to those who needed them. Unfortunately that someone was often her and her brother. Her brother has always been okay with it, boys wear out clothes so fast that no one would really notice that he was wearing hand-me-downs, but the little girls at her first school did. They'd tease her, especially Airi. Airi was an exceptionally tall girl for the class, her African father's blood kicking in, and so many of the hand-me-downs that Kagome wore were things that Airi had worn before.

Now Kagome knew that Airi was just dealing with some pain or other, perhaps from her skin color, which Kagome thought was like a beautiful, chocolate covered pastry. She had always smelt like pastries too, living above a bakery does that.

Still that was a hard time for Kagome, her dad had died the year before, they'd had to move in with her grandfather, she had just started her school career and she was teased for wearing hand-me-downs to boot. Perhaps that's why she always wore her school uniform even when she was in Feudal Japan, school uniforms made the need to feel ashamed of her clothes vanish. They were also the first clothes that her mother had bought her since before her father died, mind you she attends a different school now so she has a different uniform. That and most of her closet is still full of hand-me-downs.

She poked at a patched moth-hole above her sternum. The fabric was from the skirt of her uniform. It clashed terribly with the dark pink and red checked kimono. But it made her smile. Sango had patched it for her so she could wear it. So she would smile and not let it's hand-me-down status get to her.

Sesshoumaru was being lethargic after a long time of stamina flying when he heard an unhappy huff and a soft thump below his resting tree. He was seated near the top so it was no wonder he wasn't seen.

He looked down from his great hight but all he could see was a rag doll that was slumped in a sad pose. He watched her as she fiddled with her kimono and let her mind wander. He didn't care to have a human's stench invade his solitude so he didn't breathe in though his nose, no one could see him, so it never happened. Still the sight was pretty in a melancholy way. It certainly fit the place.

So when she looked up at the sky between the branches and stretched he was surprised. 'Inuyasha's little human girl... how odd.'

Then the girl walked away, toward a dilapidated wall.

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><p>AN: Here is the first chapter, this story is one that will skip months, so you will have one entry for each season in a seasonal year. Remember much can happen between the little parts of the year that you are seeing. Also, you may be interested to know that along with the seasonal prompt I used songs from the popular singing group of the 60's, The Four Seasons (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons). This one uses Rag Doll. Look it up, if you so desire.<p> 


	2. Spring: Big Girls Don't Cry

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. Say hello to the very talented Rumiko Takahashi who owns him and the entire cast. Hello Rumiko Takahashi. Hehehe!

By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) (aka.) crescentmoon (at mediaminer) And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt and Dokuga.

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><p><strong>Spring: Big Girls Don't Cry<strong>

Kagome watched as Inuyasha leaped away, the town they were stopped in whispered tales of a benevolent priestess who had left that afternoon. A priestess to whom Kagome bared a strong resemblance.

She had decided the last time Inuyasha went after Kikyo that if he did so again there would be no looking back for her. Inuyasha would be the buds on a tree that were killed by a late frost. So she kept working, a bit more stiffly but still at the same pace laying out the sleeping mats for herself and her friends.

Meanwhile Sango guarded the door to keep Miroku in check. Miroku smiled sheepishly into the scowl on Sango's face. No pretty inn-keeper's daughters for him.

Kagome could feel the glances her way on her back. It wasn't hard to tell that everyone was waiting on the tears. Tears Kagome refused to let pool. She was finishing off the last mat when she snapped. That was it, they were not making it easier for her to move pass Inuyasha by expecting her to cry.

She whipped around and yelled the first thing that came to mind as loud as she could, "BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY!"

Then she pushed angrily past Sango and slammed the screen shut behind her.

She marched out of the inn, every movement was like a newly hatched snake's strike. She continued on until she was well into the nearby forest.

The forest was calm and chill. But there was an excitement in the air, a magic that promised a dazzling renewed earth to come. The kind of magic that said every moment was a birth, or a rebirth.

In this gentle, open, truth-bearing magic, that would tell no lies and believe none Kagome looked at the budding branches and cried for a love she wasn't ready to give up. As her energy receded and the tears welled less deep she heard a voice she knew too well.

"What happened to 'big girls don't cry'?"

"I guess I'm not as that big yet, Sesshoumaru-san."

He nodded. Somehow that nod conveyed his belief that she never would be.

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><p>AN: And so the second chapter goes. Just a reminder, this story is one that will skip months, so you will have one entry for each season in a seasonal year. Remember, much can happen between the little parts of the year that you are seeing. Also, you may be interested to know that along with the seasonal prompt I used songs from the popular singing group of the 60's, The Four Seasons (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons). This one uses Big Girls Don't Cry. Look it up, if you're interested.<p> 


	3. Summer: Walk Like a Man

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. Say hello to the very talented Rumiko Takahashi who owns him and the entire cast. Hello Rumiko Takahashi. Hehehe!

By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) (aka.) crescentmoon (at mediaminer) And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt and Dokuga.

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><p><strong>Summer: Walk Like a Man<strong>

Kagome smiled into the sun. Nothing compared to a day out on a stream with Shippo in this heat. Her smile widened in an attempt to blind the sun when Shippo managed to splash high enough to get her face.

She turned the warmth of it to Shippo and he pretended to faint. Soon he sputtered out of his 'fainting spell'. Kagome giggled softly.

"Hey runt, don't drown in that puddle." Inuyasha yelled from shore. He was grumpy that it was so hot that no one would listen to him about leaving the stream.

Sango lazed by the stream with her feet serenely kicking in the water and petting Kilala, who occupied her lap. Miroku was currently laying in the river, the stone bottom bruising his back while he schemed, a big red splotch on his cheek.

Rin giggled from behind her. "You can't get me through my Kagome-sama shield Shippo-san!"

Shippo jumped at her teasingly. She squealed and ducked back behind her 'Kagome-sama shield.'

While Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the frolicking children, and yes he included Kagome in that category, Jaken sighed in increasing content.

Joining Inuyasha's group had many good sides, something he would never have guessed. Some of the good things was he was no longer chief babysitter and plaything/playmate of Rin's, he also no longer had to cook fish, or hunt for food with Rin, and best of all, sometimes when Sesshoumaru left he would now let Jaken come too.

Sesshoumaru looked at Jaken as he again sighed in contentment. 'Jaken sighs a lot now. Why is he happy, suddenly?' Instead of asking he just turned back to the game that was taking place in the water.

"Oh, oh!" Kagome playfully said, "Oh, no! The Kagome-shield is buckling!" She swayed in the pretend danger. Then she pretended to collapse, careful of the rock in the water below.

"Oh no! The Kagome-sama shield is dead!" cried Rin in mock horror.

"Oh, yes!" shouted Shippo in return. "Now I, the evil fox demon, shall carry away the princess of locked up mountain!" Shippo gleefully jumped over Kagome, a shower of water off his tail marking his path. Then he transformed into a floating, giant, pink ball with legs and hands. Rin pretended to cry while she climbed on Shippo. He had her get off on a tree branch then floated to a higher one. "Inuyasha," whispered Shippo, "We need someone to rescue the princess."

"Not interested, runt. Go ask Lord Fluff-for-Brains."

Sesshoumaru growled a warning to Inuyasha.

He turned back into himself. "Uh... I don't think he wants to..." muttered Shippo nervously.

"That's okay Shippo." began Rin dejectedly.

"I'll do it!" Miroku jumped up happily, water ran merrily down his cheeks.

Sesshoumaru turned his glare on him.

"Eh... heheh... On second thought I'm too dizzy." Miroku flopped back down in the water.

"I guess we can't finish our game." Shippo moved to help Rin down.

"Evil fox demon," boomed a fake deep voice causing Shippo to jump. "I, Prince Silly-Pants have come to rescue the princess!"

"Kagome you can't be a prince, you don't look like a boy." Rin giggled.

Kagome pulled her hair up into a sloppy top-knot. "There, now I'm Prince Silly-Pants!"

"But Kagome you don't walk like a man." Shippo added.

So Kagome adopted an exaggerated cocky walk, based on Inuyasha's Yeah-I'm-Great-I-Just-Wiped-The-Floor-With-You walk.

Sesshoumaru breathed out of his nose in a small huff that if anyone had heard it would know as a show of amusement. 'She walks like Inuyasha very well.'

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><p>AN: And the Third Chapter is ended. Just a reminder, this story is one that will skip months, so you will have one entry for each season in a seasonal year. Remember, much can happen between the little parts of the year that you are seeing. Also, you may be interested to know that along with the seasonal prompt I used songs from the popular singing group of the 60's, The Four Seasons (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons). This one uses Walk Like a Man. Look it up, if you're interested.<p> 


	4. Autumn: Tell it to the Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. Say hello to the very talented Rumiko Takahashi who owns him and the entire cast. Hello Rumiko Takahashi. Hehehe!

By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) (aka.) crescentmoon (at mediaminer) And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt and Dokuga.

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><p><strong>Autumn: Tell it to the Rain<strong>

Kagome looked at Inuyasha. 'He' nervous.' she realized. The hairs on her back raised as if brushed by one of the chilled falling leaves. 'He's really holding out his heart... but he's done that before.'

She looked around, Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kilala were all huddled together. They were holding their breaths, as largely expectant as chrysalises and partly happy looks tinted their faces.

On her left was Rin and Jaken, looking curious like the heat of the day this late in the autumn. Sesshoumaru was also just standing there staring at them, looking bored, as always.

'He had to do this is public, didn't he?' thought Kagome, 'The brash fool.' Still even that small rant in her head couldn't stop Kagome's face from softening, couldn't stop the sadness in her eyes for the boy she cared for. And her caring for him couldn't stop what had to be said. "Tell it to the rain Inuyasha." She paused and looked up at the night sky that sighed at her in sparkling, crisp, frosty light. "And the stars that shine above."

She turned away from his hurt face so he couldn't gain hope from her own hurt countenance. "You've broken my heart too many times for it to accept you back in. So tell it to the rain, it's very understanding."

Then straight-back and stiff-necked she walked out of the warming light of the fire and just kept walking.

"Can't the rain fall for us tonight?" she whispered to the sky behind the bright trees.

The trees shivered and rained their stylish colors to oblige her. They gently promised the end of something and the beginning of something new, just like autumn weather, she was on the cusp of the change in the world. Her tears meekly fell to join her faux rain.

"Was there not a time that you wished for such a concession, Miko?"

Kagome turned slowly to face the interloper on her solitary release.

"There was a time I wished for many things, even something as unkind to myself as a concession to love. But as the seasons changed I have realized that concessions are untruthful, and unworthy of me. Inuyasha will heal, and I hope he comes to the same conclusion, I hope he can someday love and be loved truly. I on the other hand have come to the autumn of my teen years, there's change in the air and winter will be hard. I will have to rely on the hope that spring will come again, for me as well." She looked at a leaf she caught, it's reds faded into oranges and one tint of yellow on a side.

"You are strong, I'm sure you will lure spring into being again, Kagome-san." He bowed his respect of her strength even if it would cause her pain.

"Thank you for your faith, Sesshoumaru-sama." she whispered as she bowed in return. When she straightened to smile kindly at him, even with the tears nipping her rosy cheeks, he was gone. Yet he left her with renewed strength and the will to see her decision through.

'Autumn, a season where old pain lingers and new strength strides in.'

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><p>AN: That's all folks, there is no more. Just a reminder, this story is one that will skip months, so you will have one entry for each season in a seasonal year. Remember, much can happen between the little parts of the year that you are seeing. Also, you may be interested to know that along with the seasonal prompt I used songs from the popular singing group of the 60's, The Four Seasons (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons). This one uses Tell it to the Rain. Look it up, if you're interested.<p> 


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